MULTI-AXIS INTEGRATED MEMS INERTIAL SENSING DEVICE ON SINGLE PACKAGED CHIP

• US 20140311242A1
• Filed: 01/23/2014
• Published: 10/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: mCube, Inc.
• Original Assignee: mCube, Inc.
• Inventors: ZHANG, WENHUA, LEE, TERRENCE, SRIDHARAMURTHY, SUDHEER, YONEOKA, SHINGO
• Granted Patent: US 10,132,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/504.12
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0235 Accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0242 Gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0038 using materials for controlling the level of pressure, contaminants or moisture inside of the package, e.g. getters
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/56 Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses, e.g. vibratory angular rate sensors based on Coriolis forces
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5783 Mountings or housings not specific to any of the devices covered by groups G01C19/5607 - G01C19/5719
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/003 used for damping
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/02 by making use of inertia forces using solid seismic massesG01P15/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0871 using stopper structures for limiting the travel of the seismic mass
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/088 for providing wafer-level encapsulation

Abstract

A multi-axis integrated MEMS inertial sensor device. The device can include an integrated 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer on a single chip, creating a 6-axis inertial sensor device. The structure is spatially with efficient use of the design area of the chip by adding the accelerometer device to the center of the gyroscope device. The design architecture can be a rectangular or square shape in geometry, which makes use of the whole chip area and maximizes the sensor size in a defined area. The MEMS is centered in the package, which is beneficial to the sensor'"'"'s temperature performance. Furthermore, the electrical bonding pads of the integrated multi-axis inertial sensor device can be configured in the four corners of the rectangular chip layout. This configuration guarantees design symmetry and efficient use of the chip area.

Claims

1. An multi-axis integrated MEMS inertial sensing device, the device comprising:

a substrate member having a surface region, the surface region have an inner portion and an outer portion;

at least one bond pad configured overlying each of the corners of the outer portion of the surface region;

a first MEMS inertial sensor overlying the inner portion of the surface region; and

a second MEMS inertial sensor overlying the outer portion of the surface region;

wherein the first and second MEMS inertial sensors are configured with a symmetric geometry.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the symmetric geometry consists of a symmetric rectangular geometry or a symmetric square geometry.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the first MEMS inertial sensor includes a 3-axis accelerometer.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the accelerometer comprises a proof mass anchored to the substrate member within the outer portion.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the second MEMS inertial sensor includes a 3-axis gyroscope, wherein the 3-axis gyroscope is a single mask layer device.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the gyroscope comprises a proof mass anchored to the substrate member within the inner portion.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the gyroscope comprises x-axis, displacement sensors, y-axis displacement sensors, and z-axis displacement sensors;

wherein the gyroscope comprises a displacement driver configured to displace the proof mass; and

wherein the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis displacement sensors provide displacement data in response to displacement of the proof mass by the displacement driver.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a cap wafer having a Z-travel stop structure spatially configured overlying the inner portion.

9. An integrated MEMS device comprises:

a semiconductor substrate comprising a central region and a border region around the central region;

a three-axis accelerometer formed within the central region of the semiconductor substrate; and

a three-axis gyroscope formed within the border region of the semiconductor substrate.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the central region is selected from a group consisting of:

approximately rectangular, approximately square, approximately quadrilateral, and approximately polygonal.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein the three-axis accelerometer comprises a proof mass anchored to the semiconductor substrate within the central region.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein the three-axis gyroscope comprises a proof mass anchored to the semiconductor substrate within the border region approximately adjacent to the central region.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the three-axis gyroscope comprises x-axis, displacement sensors, y-axis displacement sensors, and z-axis displacement sensors;

wherein the three-axis gyroscope comprises a displacement driver configured to displace the proof mass; and

wherein the x-axis displacement sensors, y-axis displacement sensors, and z-axis displacement sensors provide displacement data in response to displacement of the proof mass by the displacement driver.

14. The device of claim 9 further comprising a cap wafer having a Z-travel stop structure spatially configured overlying the inner portion.

15. The device of claim 9 wherein the three-axis accelerometer and three-axis gyroscope are spatially configured in a symmetric geometry.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the symmetric geometry consists of a symmetric rectangular geometry or a symmetric square geometry.

17. An multi-axis integrated MEMS inertial sensing device, the device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate comprising a central region and a border region around the central region;

at least one bond pad configured overlying each of the corners of the border region;

a three-axis accelerometer overlying a portion of the central region;

a three-axis gyroscope overlying a portion of the border region, wherein the 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope are configured with a symmetric square geometry; and

a cap wafer having a Z-travel stop structure spatially configured overlying the central region.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the three-axis accelerometer comprises a proof mass anchored to the semiconductor substrate within the central region.

19. The device of claim 17 wherein the three-axis gyroscope comprises a proof mass anchored to the semiconductor substrate within the border region approximately adjacent to the central region.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the three-axis gyroscope comprises x-axis, displacement sensors, y-axis displacement sensors, and z-axis displacement sensors;

wherein the three-axis gyroscope comprises a displacement driver configured to displace the proof mass; and

wherein the x-axis displacement sensors, y-axis displacement sensors, and z-axis displacement sensors provide displacement data in response to displacement of the proof mass by the displacement driver.